Bottle-capping machine



Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,388

C.L.BEARDSLEY BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1921 Patented Sept. 23, 1924,.

CALVIN L. BEARDSLEY, OLE ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-CAIPPING MACHINE.

Application filed December 6, 19521. Serial No. 520,433.

To all whom may concern.

Be it known that I, CALVIN L. BEARDSLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle- Capping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle capping machines of the type adapted to be manually operated and is an improvement on my Patent #1,385,298, issued to me July 19, 1921, and the primary object of the present invention is the provision of a novel means for supporting the bottle directly from the head or casting which reciprocably supports the capping die, whereby the necessity of adjusting the die and casting or the bottle holding platform for different sized bottles is entirely eliminated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a head or casting for reciprocably supporting the capping die, having a novel means for engaging a bottle neck, so as to hold the bottle against displacement during the capping operation, said means permitting the ready placing and removing of a bottle to or from the capping position.

A furtherobject of the invention is the 30 provision of means for resiliently supporting the bottle neck, so as to insure against the cracking of the bottle neck when the die is pressed into engagement with the bottle cap.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a casting or head supporting the capping die having a hinged member hingedly associated therewith for engaging and holding the neck of a. bottle, the head or casing having a locking bail for'engaging the hinged member to hold the same in engagement with the bottle neck against displacement.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for permitting the caps to be inserted in the capping machine through the hinged member after the bottle is placed into capping position, so that the danger of the caps being canted while the bottles are being placed in position is obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel capping machine of the.

above character, which is durable and efficient inuse, one that has a minimum number of parts, and one that can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in central vertical section through the machine, the operating lever being shown in its raised inoperative position, and a bottle associated with the machine ready to be capped.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved machine.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the improved machine, parts of the same being shown in section, to illustrate the means of connecting the locking bail with the head or casting.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown and in which various reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates the head or casting; B, the die for the caps; O, the means for operating the die; D, the resilient means for holding the die in a raised inoperative position in engagement with operating means C; and E, the novel means for holding a bottle in position on the head or casting A during the capping operation.

The head or casting A may be made of any desired material possessing the necessary qualifications, and in any desired manner. As shown, it includes a barrel 5 having a longitudinally extending vertical bore 6. The lower end of the barrel 5 is formed integral with a body 7, and the bore 6 of the barrel communicates with the upper end of the body. The inner surface of the body 7 is of a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and the front face of the body has its longitudinal edges inclined downwardly as at 8. Thus it can be seen that as the front face of the body 7 is inclined downwardly at an angle, that the upper end thereof contains a greater arc of a circle than the lower part. The inner surface of the body is of a size as to snugly receive the die B, so as to form a guide for the same during the reciprocatior thereof The lOO bottle holding or clamping means E coop crates with the body 7 and consists of a body 10 of a substantially semi-circular shape in cross section, and the rear face of this body is inclined as indicated by the numeral 11 to conform to the inclination of the forward face of the body 7 and when the body 10 is in engagement with the body 7, a complete housing, circular shaped in cross section is formed. The upper end of the body 10 has formed thereon an upwardly extending shank 12, which is substantially circular shaped in cross section so as to form a housing for the resilient means 1) which normally holds the die B in a raised position.

The inner faces of the bodies 7 and 10 adjacent to the lower ends thereof are provided with semi-circular inwardly extending flanges 13 and 14, on which is adapted to seat a sectional rubber, fiber or felt gasket or the like 15 so that a bottle will be resiliently supported. A bottle is shown in the drawings, which is designated by the letterF, and this bottle is of the ordinary or any preferred character or size and has the upper end of the neck thereof provided with the usual bead 16, around which the bottle cap (not'shown) is adapted to be crimped. The bottle neck directly below the head 16 is provided with the usual bulge 16 and it can be seen that the bulged portionof the neck is adapted to seat upon the resilient cushion 15 provided for that purose. The barrel 5 and the body 7 may be connected to aface plate 17 by a suitable web 18 and the face plate can be provided with openings for the receptionlof fastening elements 20, whereby the capping machine may be secured to a wall, upright or the like.

Formed on the upper end of the barrel 5 are the spaced upwardly extending standards 25, which may, if so desired, incline slightly rearwardly from the base plate 17. These standards may be braced by integral ribs or webbings 26. The upper terminals of the standards 25 are provided with bearing openings 27, in which is adapted to be positioned the pivot pin 28 for supporting the bottle cap die operating means C.

The operating means C for the die B may be aleveras shown, the inner end of which can be provided with a cam 31, the throw portion of which is adapted to engage the die.

The die 13 consists of a head 85 having the usual tapered inner face 36 for bringing about the crimping of the cap, and the upper end ofthe head is provided with the stem 37 which is slidably mounted in the bore 6' and which is adapted to be engaged by the throw portion of the cam 31.

' Now, the die B is adapted to be normally held in a raised position so as to permit the convenient insertion of the bottle into the clamping means, and so as to hold the die in a raised operative position into engagement with the operating means C.

The means D consists of a contractile coil spring 40, the lower end of which may be suitably secured-to a pin or the like i1, carried by the head of the die 13. The upper end of the spring 40 is adapted to be secured to an integral outwardly extending lug 42. This lug 42 has also connected thereto, by means of a hinge pin 43, the upper end of the shank 12. Inasmuch as the shank 12 is substantially semi-circular shaped in cross section, the same forms a housing for the spring and the spring is completely hidden from view.

In order to hold the bottle clamping means E in operative engagement with a bottle neck, the bail is provided. This bail 50 has its terminals bent inwardly to provide trunnions 51 which are pivotally mounted in suitable bearings 52 formed on opposite sides of the connecting web 18. The method of connecting the bail 50 in position has been shown merely by way of example and it is apparent that the same may be connected to the body portion of the capping machine in any other )referred manner. This bail 50 is adapter to be swung over the lower end of the bottle clamping means E. The bail 50 can be swung upwardly if so desired when a bottle is being placed in position for the capping operation, and it can be seen that owing to the arcuate forward face of the bottle clamping means E, a slight outward movement of the bottle clamping means E is permitted when the bail 50 is in its raised positon. The front face of the bottle clamping means E is provided with an enlarged cut-out portion 55, so that the capping operation can bereadily seen by the person operating the lever 30. In order to permit the placing of caps on the bottle neck, when. the bottle is placed in operative position for capping, the longitudinal walls of the cut out portions 55 are provided with aligned notches 56, which forms a suilicient opening for permitting the insertion of the cap into the chamber formed by the bodies 7 and 10.

The attaching pin 41 can be readily seen at all times, and if a cap becomes stuck in the die this pin may be grasped by the fingers and the die turned circumferentially, so as to permit the loosening of the cap.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that a durable and efiicient bottle capping machine has been rovided in which the bottle can be readi y and conveniently clamped directly to the casing or head which supports the bottle capping die, whereby the necessity of providing a platform for the bottle, or means for adjusting (ill the die or casting in relation to different sized bottles is obviated.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

I claim:

1. A bottle capping machine comprising in combination a support, a die reciprocably carried by the support, means for actuating the die, a rigid jaw carried by the support disposed below the die, a coil spring secured at its upper end to the support, and at its lower end to the die for normally holding the die in a raised position, a movable jaw, including a semi-cylindrical shank for housing said spring, for cooperation with the rigid jaw for holding a bottle, and means pivotally securing the upper end of the shank of the movable jaw to said suport.

p 2. A bottle capping machine comprising a support, a die movably carried by the support, means for actuating the die, a rigid jaw formed on the support below the die, and a jaw pivotally secured to said support adapted for swinging movement to support a bottle in position below the die for a capping operation, said pivotally mounted jaw having an opening transversely therethrough through which an operator may insert a cap.

3. A bottle capping machine comprising a support, a die reciprocably carried by the support, a spring on said support for normally maintaining the die in a raised position, a jaw rigid with said support, a jaw pivotally mounted upon said support adapted for cooperation with the rigid jaw to support a bottle below said die, said pivotally mounted jaw providing a housing for the spring of said die when in a closed position.

4. A bottle capping machine comprising in combination a support, a die movably carried by the support, means for operating the die, a jaw rigid with the support, a jaw pivotally carried by the support adapted for movement in a vertical plane so that the same may be positioned in cooperating relation with the rigid jaw to support a bottle below said die for capping purposes, and a bail pivotally mounted upon said sup port adjacent said rigid jaw adapted for swinging in substantially a vertical plane to engage the free end of said pivotally mounted jaw to support the same in closed relation with the rigid jaw.

CALVIN L. BEARDSLEY. 

